A new method for estimating the isothermal devitrification and crystallization of mold powder slags from non-isothermal DSC data

The rate of formation of crystalline phases from liquid and glassy mold powder slags is of foremost importance in the performance of molds used for continuous casting of steel. This study shows how the Induction Period (of Šimon and Kolman) and the Kissinger methods can be combined in a kinetic model to evaluate the isothermal rate of formation of crystalline phases from thermo-analytical data – onset temperature, T_i, peak maximum temperature, T_m, shape index, S, and conversion at peak maximum, x_m – collected at various linear heating and cooling rates. The diagram of the extent of isothermal transformation as a function of time calculated for a commercial mold powder, used for casting low carbon steels, shows good agreement with the degree of transformation observed in photomicrographs of glass disks devitrified isothermally, at several temperatures for different times. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative X-ray diffraction results obtained at room-temperature from glass powder samples treated isothermally and quenched also show good accord with the degree of transformation predicted with the kinetic model developed in this work.     

Precipitation kinetics of GP zones,metastable η′ phase and equilibrium η phase in Al−5.46wt.%Zn−1.67wt.%Mg alloy

Thermal analysis is one of the most used techniques for analyzing the behavior of aluminum alloys in order to analyze the precipitation of Guinier?Preston (GP) zones and different phases formed. In the present work, the behavior of the Al?5.46wt.%Zn? 1.67wt.%Mg alloy was studied. The mechanism and kinetics of precipitation of the GP, the metastable phase η′ and the equilibrium phase η were investigated using DSC carried out between room temperature and 480 °C at heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min. The apparent activation energies, calculated by DSC from isothermal calculation method using JMAK model, for GP, η′ and η were 56, 79 and 96 kJ/mol, respectively, and those calculated by non-isothermal calculation method using Kissinger methods were 57, 82 and 99 kJ/mol, respectively. The values of Avrami parameter, n, from isothermal calculation, during the precipitation of the GP, η′ and η were 1.103, 1.9075 and 1.92, respectively, and those calculated by non-isothermal were 0.86, 2.30 and 2.24, respectively. The results show that GP zones formation is governed by the migration of Zn and Mg atoms while the precipitation of the η′ metastable phase and the η stable phase is governed by both the migration and the diffusion of the solute atoms.     

Comparative analysis of the outdoor performance of a dye solar cell mini‐panel for building integrated photovoltaics applications

New generation photovoltaic (PV) devices such as polymer and dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) have now reached a more mature stage of development, and among their various applications, building integrated PVs seems to have the most promising future, especially for DSC devices. This new generation technology has attracted an increasing interest because of its low cost due to the use of cheap printable materials and simple manufacturing techniques, easy production, and relatively high efficiency. As for the more consolidated PV technologies, DSCs need to be tested in real operating conditions and their performance compared with other PV technologies to put into evidence the real potential. This work presents the results of a 3 months outdoor monitoring activity performed on a DSC mini‐panel made by the Dyepower Consortium, positioned on a south oriented vertical plane together with a double junction amorphous silicon (a‐Si) device and a multi‐crystalline silicon (m‐Si) device at the ESTER station of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Good performance of the DSC mini‐panel has been observed for this particular configuration, where the DSC energy production compares favorably with that of a‐Si and m‐Si especially at high solar angles of incidence confirming the suitability of this technology for the integration into building facades. This assumption is confirmed by the energy produced per nominal watt‐peak for the duration of the measurement campaign by the DSC that is 12% higher than that by a‐Si and only 3% lower than that by m‐Si for these operating conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studies of the comonomer distributions in low density polyethylenes using temperature rising elution fractionation and stepwise crystallization by DSC

The comonomer distributions of commercial linear low density polyethylenes (LLDPE) and linear very low density polyethylenes (VLDPE) produced with traditional high activity Ziegler–Natta (Z–N) catalysts were characterized by temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF). In order to develop faster characterization methods the polymers were also characterized using a segregation fractionation technique (SFT) based on a stepwise crystallization by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Comparative studies of SFT and TREF demonstrated that SFT provides an alternative tool for the relative qualitative analysis of the chemical composition distribution (CCD) and the technique is useful to characterize the heterogeneity in comonomer unit distribution. Lamellar thickness distributions can be calculated from the DSC endo-therms by applying the Thomson–Gibbs equation. The SFT technique was also applied to commercial single-site (metaliocene) LLDPE and VLDPE polymers. In spite of their more homogeneous structure compared with the Z–N copolymers, which contain many active sites, these single site copolymers also gave thermograms resolved into several peaks.     

聚丁二酸丁二醇酯的等温结晶动力学研究

采用差示扫描量热仪(DSC)对聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)的等温结晶动力学进行了研究,并用Avrami方程对实验数据进行了量化分析。研究结果表明:在等温结晶时,PBS倾向于以均相成核的三维生长方式结晶,并通过偏光显微镜进行了验证;同时,随着结晶温度的升高,PBS的结晶速率常数K值下降,半结晶时间t1/2延长。     

膜用尼龙树脂的结晶性能表征

通过DSC,XRD方法研究了几种膜用尼龙树脂在不同实验条件下的结晶行为。结果表明,与纯尼龙6相比,添加剂D在提高尼龙6基体结晶度的同时,降低了结晶速度。无机成核剂提高了尼龙6基体的结晶度和结晶速度。两者都在一定程度上改变了尼龙6树脂的结晶结构。     

The influence of base oil properties on the efficiency of action of ZDDP-type additives

This paper deals with the analysis of the influence of base oil viscosity on the ability of ZDDP-containing lubricants to form protective layers (especially antiwear layers). The chemical structure of additives used was characterised according to their thermal stability, determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The additives were added to base oils of various viscosities. The prepared lubricants were tested using a four-ball machine, and analysed by DSC. The relationships between base oil viscosity and seizure load (P_t), weld load (P_w) and DSC test results are presented and discussed. The mechanism of interaction between ZDDP and the base oils was analysed by the use of a mathematical model.     

Resistance of ashless dispersant additives to oxidation and thermal decomposition

Ashless dispersants of the type of alkenyl-succinic anhydride derivatives were prepared. The resistance of these compounds to oxidation and thermal decomposition was investigated by thermoanalytical methods. Results were compared to those obtained in a panel coking test of these additives at 300°C in a multifunctional package. It was found that data obtained by DSC could be used for rating the stability of polyisobutenyl-succinimides against thermo-oxidation.     

Physicochemical Properties and Functionality of Rice Bran Protein Hydrolyzate Prepared from Heat-stabilized Defatted Rice Bran with the Aid of Enzymes

ABSTRACT: Molecular size, thermal properties, hydrophobicity, nitrogen solubility, and emulsifying and foaming properties were determined for protein products from heat‐stabilized defatted rice bran. The freeze‐dried and spray‐dried proteins had molecular sizes between 6.5 to 66.2 kDa; denaturation temperatures of 84.1 and 84.6 °C, enthalpies of 2.5 and 2.37 J/g, hydrophobicities of 20677 and 22611, maximum solubilities of 66.3% and 66.1% at pH 12.0, emulsifying capacities of 0.19 and 0.18, emulsion stabilities of 16.5 and 17.3 min, foam capacities of 4.0 mL and 4.2 mL, and negligible foam stabilities. These results demonstrated that the extracted rice bran protein has potential as a nutraceutical ingredient in food applications.     

Comparison of the crystalline properties and structural changes of starches from high-amylose transgenic rice and its wild type during heating

A transgenic rice line (TRS) enriched amylose and resistant starch has been developed by antisense RNA inhibition of starch branching enzymes. In this study, gelatinisation and crystalline properties, swelling power, water solubility, morphological and structural changes of starches from TRS and its wild-type Teqing (TQ) were carefully investigated during heating. Compared to TQ, TRS starch showed higher gelatinisation temperatures, lower gelatinisation enthalpy and swelling power. Morphological and structural changes showed that TQ starch drastically swelled after 70 °C, then gradually disrupted with increasing heating temperature. The surrounding band of TRS starch restrained granule swelling, though the subgranules disrupted to form the cavity. The results of spectroscopic analyses indicated that A-type crystalline of TQ changed to amorphous starch after 75 °C, while C-type crystalline of TRS gradually changed to B-type crystalline after 75 °C, then became amorphous starch at 95 °C. These results add to our understanding of the effect of heating on the high-amylose rice starch.